Bit guide setting tool



United States Patent 3 'Ciahns. (Cl. res-s5 This invention relates totools for use in the drilling of bore holes in the earth, and the like,and relates more particularly to casing safety joint bit guides andsetting tools therefor for use in drilling operations for the productionof wells, such as oil wells and the like, this application being adivision of applicants copending application for Underwater DrillingMethod, Serial No. 730,172 filed April 22, 1958.

While the invention has particular utility in connection with underwaterdrilling of oil wells and the like, and is herein shown and described inconnection therewith, it is to be understood that its utility is notconfined thereto.

In the prior art, wells have been drilled into submarine formations inrelatively shallow water protected to some extent at least by reefs andthe like. Also in some prior operations various types of structures havebeen employed to support the equipment required to drill the wells, including platforms and the like.

Where the water is shallow, the problems of off shore or underwaterdrilling are not ditficult of solution. However, there are manyditlicult problems in drilling in deep water and, in certain localitiessuch as the Pacific Coast, for example, waters are relatively deep evena short distance from shore.

When the drilling is in such relatively deep water, a floating platformis used and comprises a specially equipped boat or barge which must beanchored as securely as possible.

In certain types of drilling operations and installations, casing safetyjoints are used which include a mandrel, such operations andinstallations being described in said copending application Serial No.730,172.

During the drilling operations there is always the possibility or dangerof damaging the drill or parts of the well head equipment orinstallation, and it is therefore an object of the present invention toprovide means for preventing such damage to the drill or parts of thewell head equipment.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bit guide adapted tobe installed on the upper end of the mandrel of casing safety jointsused in drilling operations as pointed out above.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a bit guide ofthis character that may be removed from the mandrel when such removal isdesired or required.

It is still another object of the invention to provide.

equipment of this character having a setting tool for the bit guide,whereby said bit guide may be readily mounted on said mandrel andreadily removed therefrom.

It is a further object of the invention to provide equipment or means ofthis character wherein the bit guide is so formed as to facilitate readyreception of the setting tool.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide equipment ormeans of this character wherein the setting tool may be easily andquickly attached to or removed from the bit guide.

It is another object of the invention to provide equipment or means ofthis character wherein the bit guide and setting tool may he releasablylocked together.

It is still another object of the invention to provide equipment ormeans of this character that is simple in construction.

n r I 1C6 It is a further object of the invention to provide equipmentor means of this character that is simple to operate.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide equipment orapparatus of this character that is rugged and reliable.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are furthersuificiently referred to in connection with the following detaileddescription of the accompanying drawings, which represent oneembodiment. After considering this example, skilled persons willunderstand that many variations may be made without departing from theprinciples disclosed and I contemplate the employment of any structures,arrangements or modes of operation that are properly within the scope ofthe appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a bit guide and setting tool therefor with theparts operably connected together;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the bit guide installed on the upperend of a mandrel and the setting tool drawn upwardly therefrom; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, longitudinal section of a portion of the wellhead equipment showing the bit guide in operative position on the upperend of the mandrel.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a bit guidecomprising a tubular body 250 adapted to be received on the upper endportion 251 of a mandrel shank 240a, the lower end of said body beingadapted to rest on the shoulder 252 of the mandrel.

At the upper end of the body 250, the bit guide flares outwardly andupwardly at 2 53 and at the upper end of the flared portion 253 there isan annular flange 254. Within the flange 254- are J-slots which arearranged at diametrically opposite sides and are adapted to receiverespective pins 2550f a bit guide setting tool, indicated generally at256.

The lower end of the bit guide setting tool is rounded at 257 tofacilitate ready reception thereof in the flange 254, said roundedportion 257 being at the bottom of the cylindrical portion 258 fromwhich the pins 255 extend radially outwardly. The cylindrical portion258 depends from a body portion 259 of said bit guide setting tool andis of somewhat smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of thecollar 254. The body portion 259 of the setting tool tapers upwardly toa collar 260 which is adapted to be releasably connected to the lowerend of a pipe string by screw threads or any other suitable well knownmeans.

The bit guide is attached to the setting tool as shown in FIG. 1. Inattaching the bit guide the pins 255 are inserted in the open ends ofthe vertical portion 262 of the J-slots and when said pins are at thelower ends thereof, the bit guide is rotated so that said pins passthrough the horizontal portions 263 of said slots. When the pins enterthe inner vertical portions 264 of said slots, the guide is lowered sothat said pins enter the upper ends of said portions 264 which upperends are above the horizontal portions 263 so that the bit guide will belocked on the setting tool. The bit guide should be attached by hand toprevent shearing oif the pins 255.

The assembly of bit guide and setting tool is turned to the left by handand lowered so that the bit guide is disposed on the upper end of themandrel as described above. As the unit is lowered over the mandrel, itwill continue to be free turning to the left until the keys 259a in thebit guide body 254} engage with the key slots on the safety jointmandrel, at which time a build-up in torque resistance will indicatesuch engagement. It will be noted that the pins 255 will have enteredthe lower portions of the vertical slot'parts 264 which are below thehorizontal parts 263.

At this point the settingtool is ready to be detached from the bitguide. Left-hand torque is again applied by using hand tongs orthe like.The unit is raised slowly while holding the left-hand torque and thepins 255 of the setting tool will rotate into the horizontal portions ofthe J-slots of the bit guide until said pins reach the vertical portions262 of said slots, whereupon the setting tool will separate from the bitguide.

The bit guide may be readilyremoved by reattachment ofthe setting toolso that the pins 255 are inserted into the J-slots and moved to theposition shown in FIG. 1 whereat said pins are in the upper ends of theportions 264 of said slots. The bit guide may then be removed from themandrel and the assembly raised to the surface or to the boat. Bitguides of suitable size may be used in the various drilling stages toprotect the equipment.

The invention and its attendant advantages will be understood from theforegoing description and it will be apparent that various changes maybe made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of theinvention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof not foremphasis.

. attachment on theupper endof said mandrel, said body being enlarged atthe upper end,

(a) and having an upwardly flaring inner passage with a cylindricalpart'at the upper end defined by an annular flange, said flange having apair of diametrically'arranged interior J-slots therein comprising apair of vertically extending substantially parallel portions spacedlaterally apart and interconnected by a transverse portion, one of thevertical portions being open at the upper end, the transverseportionjoining said one vertical portion at the bottom thereof and the othervertical portion being closed at both ends with the transverse portionjoiningxsame intermediate the ends thereof; (B) a setting tool forattaching the bit guide to said mandrel, said setting tool having V (a)a cylindrical portion adapted to be received within the cylindrical partof the bit guide and having a solid, downwardly bulging'free end wall,(b) oppositely arranged pins'which extend radially outwardly of thecylindrical portion of the setting tooland receivable in said J-slots,

portions have been sepa- 'or. sacrificing its material advantages, thearrangement (c) a shoulder on said setting tool at the upper end of thecylindrical portion thereof;

' V (C) and a collar secured to the upper end of the setting tool.

2.,A bit guide settingtool for Well drilling apparatus said bit guidesetting tool comprisingz (A) a bit guide having a tubular body forreleasable attachment on the upper end of said mandrel,

(a) said body having an upwardly flaring inner passage with acylindrical part at the upper end I defined by an annular flange, saidflange having a pair of diametrically arranged interior J-slots thereincomprising a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced substantiallyparallel portions interconnected by a transverseportion, one of thevertical portions being open at the upper end, the other verticalportion being closed at both ends, the transverse portion joining saidone vertical portion at the bottom thereof and i the other verticalportion intermediate the ends thereof; a l

(B) and a setting tool for attaching the bit guide to said mandrel, saidsetting tool having (a) a portion adapted to be received'within thecylindrical part of the bit guide terminating at its lower end in asolid, downwardly facing convex free end wall,

(b) oppositely arranged pins which extend radially outwardly of thecylindrical portion of the setting tool and receivable in said J-slots,

(c) and a shoulder on said setting tool at the upper end of thecylindrical portion thereof.

3. A bit'guide setting toolfor well drilling apparatus having acasingsafety release joint including a mandrel, said bit guide settingtool comprising:

(A) .a bit guide having a tubular body for releasable attachment on theupper end of said mandrel, said body being enlarged at the upper end,

(a) and having an upwardly flaring inner passage with a cylindrical'partat the upper end defined by an annular'flange, said flange having a pairof diametrically arranged interior J-slots therein comprising a pair oflaterally spaced substan- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATESPATENTS 12/17 Mack 285402 X 1/25' Berney'et a1. 285402 X 12/30 Mack2854-02,X 5/53 Crain 166-85 '9/53 Sorensen 285402 X 2 /56 Potts 28518 X10/59 Bauer et a1 175-7 CHARLES E. O C ONNELL, Primary Examiner.

tially parallel generally vertical portions inter

3. A BIT GUIDE SETTING TOOL FOR WELL DRILLING APPARATUS HAVING A CASINGSAFETY RELEASE JOINT INCLUDING A MANDREL, SAID BIT GUIDE SETTING TOOLCOMPRISING: (A) A BIT GUIDE HAVIG A TUBULAR BODY FOR RELEASABLEATTACHMENT ON THE UPPER END OF SAID MANDREL, SAID BODY BEING ENLARGED ATTHE UPPER END, (A) AND HAVING AN UPWARDLY FLARING INNER PASSAGE WITH ACYLINDRICAL PART AT THE UPPER END DEFINED BY AN ANNULAR FLANGE, SAIDFLANGE HAVING A PAIR OF DIAMETRICALLY ARRANGED INTERIOR J-SLOTS THEREINCOMPRISING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL GENERALLYVERTICAL PORTIONS INTERCONNECTED BY A TRANSVERSE PORTION, ONE OF THEVERTICAL PORTIONS BEING OPEN AT THE UPPER END, THE TRANSVERSE PORTIONJOINING SAID ONE VERTICAL PORTION AT THE BOTTOM THEREOF AND THE OTHERVERTICAL PORTION INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF; (B) AND A SETTING TOOLFOR ATTACHING THE BIT GUIDE TO SAID MANDREL, SAID SETTING TOOL HAVING(A) A CYLINDRICAL PORTION ADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED WITHIN THE CYLINDRICALPART OF THE BIT GUIDE AND HAVING A DOWNWARDLY BULGING FREE END WALL, (B)AND OPPOSITELY ARRANGED PINS WHICH EXTEND RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF THECYLINDRICAL PORTION OF THE SETTING TOOL AND RECEIVABLE IN SAID J-SLOTS.